I promise I haven't forgotten about this story, it just took a while to decide where I wanted to go with it. Enjoy :)
Robert and Belle could sense Queen Regina's smugness from miles away. They both hadn't cared much for the rumors about the woman, but tried to ignore them, wanting to judge her character for themselves. They watched as the black, gothic looking carriage pulled up alongside their castle. Regina stepped out, matching the carriage. She was adorned in black, with large crystal embellishments on her breasts and waist line. Belle leaned into Robert and whispered, "Does she have to be dressed so depressingly?"
Robert tried to hide his chuckle, but couldn't contain it, and Regina noticed. Glaring at the pair, "Is something amusing to you, your highness?" Robert sucked back his smile and glared right back, he could already tell that this woman would not be pleasant to deal with.
"Nothing at all your majesty" he gritted out. Taking hold of Belle's hand he escorted the two women back inside.
Regina took in Belle's appearance, not trying to be discreet in any way. Her eyes focused in on the swelling of Belle's stomach. She had done her research on the so-called 'ruthless' king in her presence, but barely had any information on his little bride. Belle turned her head to catch Regina's gaze. "See something you like your majesty?" she quipped.
"I wasn't aware of your pregnancy is all" she lied smoothly. "Congratulations" she added as a second thought. The smile on her face was anything but genuine.
Just as they were about to enter the conference room, Baden and Rose came bolting down the stairs, fighting about whose book was whose. Belle firmly scolded them. "We have a very important guest staying with us for the next few days, so you two need to be on your best behavior. Am I understood?"
"Yes mama" the two trouble makers said in unison.
"Good. Now why don't you two head back up to your rooms, I'll come and get you when our meeting is over." Belle gave them each a kiss on the head, and sent them back up to their rooms. Turning to Regina, "Sorry for the disruption, but kids will be kids. Especially ours," she said with a chuckle as she slid back into Robert's warm embrace, "they can be quite mischievous."
Regina smiled sourly, "Oh yes, I know about mischievous children, dear. I found with my beloved stepdaughter that a firm hand got the point across a lot faster than a few firm words." Belle's eyes widened in anger, but Robert squeezed her shoulder, silently begging her not to let out her frustration with the woman. "Shall we?" Regina asked sweetly, narrowing her eyes at the couple.
Robert opened the doors for her, and promptly closed and locked them once they were inside. "So, Regina, what deal would you like to discuss with us?"
Regina took a seat in one of the massive arm chairs, "We're just getting right down to it aren't we?"
Belle sat down across from her, hands folded in her lap, with Robert standing behind her. "You came to us, Regina. Tell us what it is you want" Belle demanded of her bitingly. "Tell us how we could benefit from this union." Regina leaned back in her chair, lips pursed, eyeing Robert up and down. "Excuse me" Belle nearly shouted, "I'd prefer it if you didn't ogle my husband. You are speaking to me, not him. Now answer my questions" she demanded.
Regina looked put off for a split second, not expecting King Robert's wife to be so in charge. "Your kingdom is prospering, mine is in economic downfall. If you agree to the union, my army will be at your disposal" Regina stated calmly, eyes unblinking.
Belle leaned into her, "Your economy, while not as rich as ours, is doing just fine and your army is sloppy, what use do we have for sloppiness. Tell us what you really had in mind."
Regina was shocked once again, she hadn't dug up enough dirt on Robert's little wench. "You've obviously done your homework" she said. "I require assistance."
"Having to deal with your stepdaughter, I presume" Robert chimed in.
"I've been searching for her. You see she took something of mine that I can never get back, then she ran off. She owes me payment" Regina confessed.
"What kind of payment?" Belle asked.
Regina smirked, "That's a secret."
Robert placed a protective hand on Belle's shoulder, pulling her back to rest against the chair. "We want no part of your secrets. You may give your horses time to rest, but I want you gone by midday tomorrow" Robert said sternly. "I wish I could say it was a pleasure, but I'm not one for lying."
Regina and Belle stood from their chairs and Robert lead them out of the room. "You've made a big mistake" Regina swore to them. Robert and Belle didn't acknowledge the threat, instead they called over Granny to show Regina to her room.
After she was up the stairs and out of earshot, Belle turned to Robert. "I really dislike that woman."
Robert chuckled, holding Belle close to him. "She's no picnic" he agreed. "I just feel bad for her poor stepdaughter."
Belle hummed, "There's a lot more to that story than she let on." Hearing footsteps, they broke their embrace to turn towards the stairs. Baden and Rose were squatting at the top, trying to hide behind the rail. "We can see you, you little rascals" Belle called to them. "You can come down."
The two bolted down the stairs and to their parents. "That lady was scary!" Rose declared.
"Yeah, she looked at us funny" Baden told his father.
Belle hugged Rose tight to her, "Don't worry darling, she'll be gone tomorrow." Rose nodded and kept her grip on her mother's leg. "Maybe tonight we can have a slumber party" Belle suggested.
Baden and Rose's faces lit up. "Can we make a fort?" asked Baden. "Can we stay up all night and eat cookies and cakes and tell stories?" The two children were practically jumping up and down with excitement.
"Well of course" boasted Robert. "We can't very well have a slumber party without all that now can we? Why don't you two go up to our bedroom and start planning our evening, hmm?"
They bounded up the stairs and to their parents bedroom, yelling out more ideas for that night as they went. "I'm sorry if I sprung that on you" Belle apologized. "I just didn't want them in separate rooms with that wretched queen in our home."
"There's no need to apologize love" Robert reassured her. "I was thinking the same thing, you just beat me to the punch. Now you're their favorite" he pouted.
Belle hit him playfully in the chest, "Oh please, don't be so dramatic. I've always been the favorite" she teased.
Robert's frown only grew bigger and Belle leaned up to kiss his protruding lip. He gripped her hips, pulling her closer and deepened the kiss. Belle squealed but wrapped her arms around his neck in response, digging her fingers into her hair. A loud cough caused the two to pull apart.
"Sorry to interrupt" Regina said, as insincerely as she possibly could.
Belle ignored Regina's presence, "I'm going to go check on the children, sweetheart." Robert leaned in to place a gentle kiss on her forehead before releasing his grip on her hand. Belle held her head high in defiance as she walked past Regina, and Regina made sure to make eye contact.
"What is it you want now Regina? Is your room not to your liking?" Robert asked trying hard to be civil. The woman's presence in his home was unnerving. There was something off about her, like she was unhinged, wild, and about to strike her prey, which was him.
"My room s decent enough for a nights stay" she said examining her long, black coated fingernails. "What I'd like to know, is where you got your little wife. She's got a lot of spunk, too much in fact."
Robert smirked, "My wife and I's relationship is of no concern to you." Regina stepped closer to him, and Robert tensed at her proximity.
"You know, being widowed is quite a lonely existence. With your wife being pregnant, I'm sure you haven't been too busy in your bedroom either.." Regina didn't get to finish her offer, Robert was seething mad at her assumption that he was not faithful to Belle.
"I'll have you know that I love my wife dearly and she is more than satisfying in that particular department. I would never do anything to hurt her. If you don't want to end up sleeping in the stables, I suggest you hold your tongue and learn your place in our castle." Robert's voice was calm, but his eyes were flaming with anger. "Dinner is served at 7:00. If you want to eat you'll join us, if not, you can scrounge for something in the garbage."
Regina's body was stiff as he brushed past her and made his way up the stairs, intending to find his wife and children.
Their dinner was full of tension. Baden and Rose were doing much of the talking, mostly about the fairytales their parents had purchased for them. Granny kept a watchful eye out for any funny business Regina might pull. She had caught her snooping around the castle earlier, and not out of curiosity. She had been looking for something. For what, Granny didn't know, but she knew that whatever it was, it couldn't have been good.
After the meal was over, Regina retired to her room for the evening. Robert made sure that he had at least one guard stationed outside her doors, to ensure the safety of his children. Baden and Rose were excited to start their slumber party. They ran after Granny into the kitchen to retrieve the cookies and cake that they made helped bake before dinner.
Robert had gone out to the work shed to gather some tarps to use for a fort and with his children's help they built a great, big fort big enough for at least six men. Belle gathered up the pillows and bed sheets and spread them out inside their tent. Baden had grabbed the story book they wanted to read and Rose was stuffing her face with cookies.
After about an hour of sugary treats and fairytales, Rose had fallen asleep and Baden was beginning to nod off. When the boy had finally collapsed, Robert pulled Belle to him, so she could lean back against him. "You aren't going to sleep, are you?" he asked her.
"Of course not" she told him. "Not with that woman down the hall. She is up to something, I just don't know what" Belle sighed.
"She suggested adultery to me when you were up here with the children. I almost strangled her" he confessed. Belle tensed at that and stayed that way for a while. "You know I would never be unfaithful to you, don't you?" Belle nodded. "I love you, my darling Belle. You're the only woman I ever want to have in my arms" he whispered affectionately in her ear.
"I know Robert" she said, "I'm sorry you still have to assure me of that."Robert rested his chin on her shoulder, placing soft kisses on her neck. "Will you stay up and watch them with me?"
"What, did you actually think I planned on sleeping?" he chuckled.
"I suppose not" she giggled as he tickled her sides. Belle looked at her children, faces buried in pillows, their chests rising and falling in time with each other. "We made very beautiful children" she told him.
"Aye, we did indeed" he agreed. "This little one is going to be a handful, I have a feeling."
"What makes you think that?" she asked, placing her hand over the one he had placed on her stomach.
"She's going to have horrible influences" he laughed. "Baden is the king of mischief, and Rose is charming, that's a dangerous combination."
"You're calling the baby a she now too, I thought you were skeptical of my gift to predict the sex of our children?" Robert made a face at her.
"Because I want another little girl, Rose looks exactly like you love, I can never have too many mini Belles in my life. A boy would make me just as happy, I can already tell Baden will be General one day" Belle smiled at his talk of the future.
"Why don't we have one more of each, that way it's even" Belle suggested.
"That's a marvelous idea, love." They shared a sweet kiss, and continued to watch over their children as they slept soundly.